Flood situation slightly improves in Gujarat

Water has started receding from low-lying areas of Ahmedabad along the river.

The flood situation slightly improved in north and central Gujarat as inflow of rain water from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh decreased even as more than 70,000 people have been evacuated and Army deployed in affected areas, officials said.

Water has started receding from low-lying areas of Ahmedabad along the river, officials added.

"The situation has improved slightly but danger still persists as around two lakh cusecs of water is being released from the Dharoi dam in river Sabarmati", Ahmedabad municipal commissioner IP Gautam said.

The administration is keeping a watch on the situation and decision to send back 21,000 people evacuated from low lying areas around the river will be taken on Monday, he added.

The outflow of water from Dharoi dam in river Sabarmati has decreased from three lakh cusec in the morning to two lakh cusec in evening, against the inflow of 90,000 cusec of water, control room officials said.

Army was deployed in Ahmedabad, Anand and Kheda districts to evacuate people trapped in flood waters, he said adding the personnel rescued many people trapped in flood water in Sarkhej and Juhapura area of Ahmedabad.

Services of two IAF helicopters was also taken to rescue 45 people trapped in Chandisar village of Kheda district.

The outflow of water from Sardar Sarovar Dam on river Narmada is more than 6.83 lakh cusec. The dam is overflowing at 125 meters against its height of 119 meters. Thousands of people have been evacuated from low-lying areas in Vadodara and Bharuch districts along river Narmada, officials said.